random photos

I was looking at my memory card this afternoon, and realized again how random the assortment of photos on it is. Currently, it includes pictures from Easter and people at church, engagement photos of a couple from TLU, 3 different 10-50's (car accident), my car crunched, a ribbon cutting at the big red barn, TLU commencement, and my friends and I making cupcakes and playing Guitar Hero, plus a few other random photos.
My roommate is a reporter, and when I am available I get to be her photographer, so we have a host of random adventures that usually involve car accidents or fires, since that is her beat. I love being a photographer, although her beat can be pretty rough. I have seen some stuff even from a distance that has made me step back for a bit. This is the messier side of life, the side where we see the consequences of our actions and mistakes, and sometimes they are costly. Innocent lives turned upside down from someone's stupid decision, tragic accidents that simply make no sense.
Then there are the fun things I get to go see. The opening of new buildings, progress, gifts making something new and exciting for the community possible. Joys of life despite hardships and difficulties, fun events and people coming out to help each other.
Then there is just the random stuff my friends and I do, like play Guitar Hero, take spur of the moment trips to Target, or compile a meal from three different fast food places.
That's life for you.

baby birds

I have baby birds in my hanging plant again. They are almost big enough to fly away. I thought it was cool the first time they built a nest in my plant. Then I realized how difficult it is to water a plant when you have to water around a nest. Apparently it's a good place for a nest, though, because this is about the fourth one they've built in it. I don't have the heart to pull it out and try to train them to build elsewhere, so I deal with it, and the plant hasn't died yet. It is fascinating to me to watch the birds build the nest, then watch eggs appear, then the eggs hatch and the babies grow. The babies are tiny, ugly, and mostly bald when they first hatch, but so small and helpless I can't help but find them cute. Then they grow, getting more feathery but still with big eyes and little wings, a little funny looking. Now they are getting big feathers, especially from the neck down, and have tufty little feather wisps around their eyes sort of like eyebrows, reminding me of medieval-type friars. When the parent birds come to feed them they stretch as tall as they can and chirp loudly. Then they settle down again, fed, and stretch their little wings and maybe dream of being big enough to fly. Reminds me a little of us people, stretching as far as we can sometimes to reach God, reach grace, and stretch our little wings as we shuffle amongst ourselves and dream of one day being big enough to fly.

firefighters and mountain dew

Last night my roommate decided we should take cupcakes and brownies to some of the firefighters in town. So we started baking. Ok, I started baking, she was playing a more supervisory role. She did help on parts of it, but somehow between me, her, and our other friend I am the Betty Crocker. Ironic in some ways, as generally I am the least feminine of the group. At least my mother can be proud she taught me something useful.
Anyway, we made cupcakes and brownies, rotating various things in the oven for over an hour (I always forget brownies have to bake for a long time). Then we went to the fire stations to drop them off. We went to Station 2 first, and those guys were great. They were fun, and showed us the station, their truck, and the ambulance, and we got to try on their pants and jacket and helmet and try to lift all the heavy equipment they use. They invited us back for supper on Thursday, and while they cook all kinds of dead animal and I probably won't be able to eat most of it (being vegetarian) it would be fun just to go hang out with them. So, our quick trip to drop off some cupcakes took about an hour and a half, and we still had one more station to visit. Those guys weren't nearly as cool, which was kind of a relief because it was already 10pm and I was getting tired. So we left the brownies there and didn't stay as long. Kinda makes me want to be a firefighter, but I couldn't do that here because they are all EMTs too, and I don't think I could be an EMT. One of the guys showed us bloody ambulance photos on his phone, and they see some terrible and nasty stuff sometimes. Those guys do awesome stuff though.
As for the second thought for the day, when we went to HEB last night to get stuff to make the cupcakes and brownies I found Pepsi products on sale, and being a Mountain Dew officionado, I noticed the Code Red Mountain Dew and had to jump on that. I can't find that much anymore, and I like it. They also had a 'throwback' Mountain Dew, made with natural sugar as opposed to high fructose corn syrup, so naturally I had to try this new development too and see what it was like. It's definitely different, and actually reminds me a lot of Pepsi, at least from many years ago. I wonder when they started putting high fructose corn syrup in soda. The design on the can matches the Mountain Dew tshirt I bought recently, too, so I thought that was kinda cool.
Ok, I'll end my ramblings for now, and be back later with more. My head is always filled with randomness. I think it's a gift.

just a random intro

Wow, so I've decided to start yet another blog. The fact that I have 4 now, plus a livejournal, all to serve different purposes, is further proof of my OCD tendencies. That's ok. This one is going to be fun, probably random, a sort of let-loose kind of blog. Me just typing my thoughts and telling you about my day. I hope you enjoy it.
I had a host of other things I was going to tell you today, but I had some issues with importing and exporing blogs and other such technological nonsense that I have forgotten much of it. I will most likely remember the important things later, and tell you then.
It rained today. I like rain. Means I don't have to water my plants as often.
Alright I'm sufficiently distracted to procure no more meaningful thoughts for the time being.
Peace.